1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to photographic slide mounting apparatus.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Photographic slides are produced by mounting a photographic film transparency in a slide mount frame so that the image of the photographic transparency is aligned with the aperture of the frame. A variety of different types of mounting frames and mounting apparatus have been developed.
One particularly advantageous type of photographic slide mount is the Pakon slide mount, which is a one-piece plastic slide mount sold by Pako Corporation, the assignee of the present application. The film transparency is mounted by opening a film insertion slot in the slide mount by means of mounting equipment. The transparency slides into the mount and the mount is closed. The spring-like properties of the plastic slide mount material provides a safe and tight fit of the transparency in the slide mount without the need of welding or sealing.
U.S. patents showing slide mounts and slide mounting apparatus of this general type include the following patents:
Florjancic et al.--U.S. Pat. No. 3,341,960 PA1 Mundt et al.--3,470,642 PA1 Mundt et al.--3,478,456 PA1 Mundt et al.--3,524,299 PA1 Mundt et al.--3,562,074 PA1 Mundt--3,570,342 PA1 Mundt et al.--3,614,854 PA1 Florjancic 3,788,031 PA1 Mundt et al.--3,807,121 PA1 Mundt et al.--3,943,029 PA1 Mundt et al.--3,977,280 PA1 Urban--4,004,340 PA1 Urban et al.--4,135,343
Automatic and semi-automatic slide mounters have been developed for mounting photographic film transparencies in Pakon slide mounts. In general, these slide mounters perform five functions. First, the slide mount is flexed to widen an insertion slot in the slide mount. Second, a film web is advanced and partially inserted through the insertion slot into the mount. Third, the transparency is severed from the remainder of the film web. Fourth, the transparency is inserted completely into the slide mount. Fifth, the mounter ejects the mounted slide.
The Mundt et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,614,854 and 3,807,121 show apparatus which perform these functions. In the Mundt et al patents, a gripper grips the severed transparency and pulls the transparency into the mount to complete the insertion of the transparency into the mount.
In the Urban et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,135,343 a guide rail is provided which engages the trailing end of the severed transparency to insert the transparency completely into the slide mount as the slide mount is being advanced away from the film insertion and severing station.